I have 3 milk crates full o tiles that were reclaimed rom a renovated bathroom. I would like to use these tiles to make coasters but they all have dried grout/adhesive on the back. I have tried several methods. A wire wheel leaves the tile back gray and dirty looking. I have tried using bleach as a solvent with no luck. So far, what works best is soaking them and scraping each tile with a filet knie and then using a steel bristle brush. The problem with this is it is very time consuming and since the tiles are porous they absorb quite a bit o water making the drying process last several days. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thank you.
I really liked the idea of reclaiming the "trash" tiles. But since I am planning to sell them and it appears that the soaking method (which really is time and labor intensive) is the best option for mastic removal, it seems as though I should rethink this project and simply follow advice and start shopping the Home depot sales. Thanks everyone.